1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protective devices for building surfaces for use during construction, remodeling, and moving of appliances and furniture in or out of the building. More specifically, this invention relates to a shield for protecting a door and its nearby doorway trim.
2. Related Art
There is a need for protection of interior and exterior doors after the doors have been hung and are vulnerable to damage during the final phases of construction, fixture installation, and the process of moving residents into the building. These phases typically involve the movement of large and bulky objects and equipment through the doorway, and the door and doorway opening is often gouged or scraped by the objects/equipment or the tools/handcarts or those moving the items. Therefore, great expense could be spared if the doors and their associated doorway trim could be temporarily covered and cushioned until the construction and moving-in process is complete.
Katz (U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,364, issued Feb. 8, 1983) discloses a protector which extends down the front of a door and is adjustable in length. The Katz protector has a top pocket that receives the top end of a door, and a bottom flap which can be folded up and fastened to adjust the length of the protector.
McNaughton (U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,593, issued Apr. 14, 1992) discloses a door shield with pleated surface for offering impact resistence. The McNaughton device includes magnetic and adhesive members for adherence to the door.
Saruwatari et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,727, issued Oct. 26, 1993) discloses a multi-piece door cover assembly which protects the sides and edges of a door and is attached to the door so that the door may be used, closed and locked. Saruwatari et al. uses a plurality of flaps that curve from one side of the door, around between the hinges to attach to the other side of the door. Saruwatari et al. also includes a cut-out for the door handle to allow use and locking of the door while the cover is installed.
Ullman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,733, issued Oct. 4, 1994) discloses a protector having a combination of pockets, straps, and extensions for covering a door. The protector is attached to the top end of the door by a pocket on the outer door corner and by a loop strap on the inner door corner. Buckling straps extends in several places around the door and an extension is Velcro.RTM.-attached to the lower portion of the protector for adjustment of the overall length of the protector.
Koeniguer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,443, Sep. 1, 1998) discloses a door and door fame protector, which includes a hinge side frame cover and a latch side frame cover. The hinge side frame cover includes a front frame cover panel which extends along the front of the door frame and to the door to cover part of the door, and an L-shaped member extends into the gap between the door and the door frame for frictionally securing the cover to the door. Additionally, a door-clip on a tensioning cord extends from the cover to the edge of the door. The front frame cover panel along the front of the door frame does not engage or connect to the door frame, but merely extends adjacent to the door frame.
Still, there is a need for a simple and economical shield system, which is easy and quick to use. There is a need for shield system that protects both a door and its adjacent doorway surfaces.